Don't Forget Me
by Gikai
Summary: Raised in a strict military family, Morag Ainsley has had few opportunities to make true friends. That all changes though when she is accepted to Naoki International Academy in Japan. She only has two years to forge new friendships with plenty of obstacles to overcome, and not just teenage drama. Sinister powers are lurking in this world, threatening humanity's very existence...
1. Entry 1

I got this journal for my seventeenth birthday, to "express myself", so I suppose I shall finally write in this thing. If only because Callum just won't stop bugging me about it.

My name is Morag Ainsley. If my name didn't give it away, I'm from Scotland. While my hometown was Glasgow, my family has never stayed in one place for more than a few years at a time. We are always moving from one place to another. I guess that's just how being in a military family works. Despite this, I've always been close with my family, especially Callum, my brother. He's the older one, but he certainly doesn't act like it. People often think _I_ am the older sibling, even if he's got a few years on me. Even if he has a certain…lack of maturity, he really is an amazing brother. He'll keep a secret to his grave, which certainly helped when I was…well, it'll be easier to explain it in full.

Yesterday, I finally received my acceptance letter from Naoki International Academy, located in Sendai, Japan. You see, for the past several weeks I've applied to seven schools in as many countries. My parents knew nothing of it, but it wasn't like they forbade such things if I stayed on the course they saw for me, which of course is to join the military. The other ones I have received thus far had also been acceptance letters. Not much of a surprise, considering my academics and battling prowess. It's expected from a general's daughter – even more so under my father's discipline. But it was Naoki that I wanted to attend. Something about it…compelled me to apply. It was the one I had been waiting for, and I was glad to see they wanted me to attend as much as I wanted to go myself. All that had remained was to tell my parents, which is honestly what prompted me to write in the first place.

I did not think my parents would disapprove so strongly of my decision, especially my mother. I guess I should have expected it from Father, as he is very firm on us entering the military. His family has this tradition of sorts as far as the military goes. Everyone in the Ainsley household, male and female, have been involved in the military in some shape or form, and of course Father expects the same from Callum and me. But…Mother isn't like that. She has always allowed us to choose our own paths and was willing to support us all the way, so this refusal from her is unexpected. What is it about _this_ academy that she is so against? And how do I convince my parents to let me attend? I just hope I can find a compromise that we can all agree on that allows me to go to Naoki.

* * *

 **Hello! And it's me again, finally writing. How long has it been…? Eight months, three weeks, and three days. Wow. I shudder to think that's true. Almost nine months it took for motivation to finally show itself and punch me in the gut.**

 **Three days ago, I had this sudden urge to write a story through the eyes of my OC from _To the Better You_ by Clarified Conundrum: Morag Ainsley. If you haven't read that story yet, I have two words for you: READ IT. They do some of the best character interactions I have ever seen, and the battles are pretty stellar themselves. Thanks, Clarified Conundrum, for letting me tackle this project.**

 **So, as you may have seen, this story may be a bit…different than what I normally would do. I'll say this immediately though. Not all the chapters will be in this journal-like style. Otherwise this would be a lot more difficult to possibly follow and for me to add detail to. Most will be following a more standard story format, but some, like this one, will be as Morag writing in her diary/journal.**

 **Anyway, I love writing trivia. Just something I enjoy. So, here's some right off the bat about Morag herself:**

 **-When I first made her more than a month ago, I kind of had an extreme addiction (and still do) to Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Anyone who's played the game should already know where I'm going with this, but for those who haven't, I heavily based Morag off Mὸrag Ladair from said game. Yes, even with the name itself.**

 **-On that note, she couldn't be a Fire type user (for the whole Flamebringer and Brighid parts) since the main character in _To the Better You_ , Naomi, is the Fire type user. I won't be revealing which type I chose for her yet because it hasn't been shown yet, but I can tell you she does not have any fire types. Though honestly it was for the best.**

 **-And then there's the title of this FanFiction. I don't particularly care for it, if _only_ because it's another crazy Xenoblade 2 reference (RIP Ardanian soldier battle lines), but it's the only thing I can think of.**


	2. Making Headway

The sounds of Pidove cooing on the windowsill awoke me from my slumber. Groggily, I pushed myself out of bed, shooing the nuisances away. They quickly scattered, startled by my sudden appearance. I glanced down at the letter still sitting on the dresser beside me, a silent reminder of the short amount of time I had to convince my parents to let me attend this school all the way in Japan. Yesterday, after I had feverishly written my first and possibly only entry in my journal, I had simply listened to my parents' reasoning as to why I should not go. There was, of course, the problem of it being so far away. Money, luckily, wasn't an issue. That would have been a hard one to refute. The other matters I would have to overcome were all military related that could be easily covered by the first issue except for one: what reason was there to attend. That was all my mother wanted to know, yet her one request was the one that kept me awake through most of the night. At first, I had no idea why I wanted to go to Naoki instead of, say, a school just as prestigious that was closer to home. It was only when that final obstacle had been breached that I allowed myself to rest.

Now, having had the time to mull over my rebuttal, I was confident that I could find a way to make this work. If I could not persuade them to let me attend through my reasoning, then I had a few ultimatums up my sleeve that might convince them. The plans were in place; now was the time to execute them.

I quickly changed into a simple black top and pants before I trudged down the stairs into the living area. A man sat in one of the chairs drinking his morning tea. Even sitting, it was obvious he was a tall man. His hair, cut extremely short, was black, although some silver hairs were mixed in. He glanced up as I entered the room, his brown eyes as stern as always. It was as if one could physically see the aura of authority and respect he exuded, one that I hoped one day to command myself. "Good morning, Father," I said, though I didn't sit down.

"Good morning," he replied. While I had tried to hide my sudden nervousness, he must have picked up on it. "Is there something you want to ask?" he added, his tone soft to ease the unwanted anxiety.

I pushed the obnoxious feeling down, as now was not the time to appear weak like a child. "Have you changed your mind over letting me attend Naoki?" I dared to ask, a small part of me clinging to the hope that a man as stubborn as my father would have had a sudden change of heart overnight.

"No, I have not," he responded, crushing what little hope remained. I no longer had the luxury of an easy way through this. I had predicted as such, though. "I suppose you want to provide your side of the argument. I'm listening," He put the half-finished cup of tea down as he leaned back, gesturing for me to begin.

Taking a deep breath, I nodded. My arms instinctively folded behind my back as I started speaking. "First off, there's the matter of distance. While I understand your concern for my being far away from home in an unfamiliar country, it is a situation that is bound to occur in the military as well. Even Callum is being deployed next month. By going to Naoki, I'd be able to experience a similar situation without being in immediate danger."

I paused for a moment to allow Father to give his input. He did not disappoint. "You bring up a valid point. Nowhere is ever truly safe, though. I wouldn't be able to protect you in Japan."

"I am aware of that. It may not be guaranteed, but the chances of this school being more dangerous than out in the field are slim." An idea came to me, seemingly out of nowhere. I started slowly, giving myself some time to truly think my new words over. "Think of this as…a learning experience." I knew I had his attention simply by the subtle tilt of his head. Anyone else would have never noticed this little nuance, but I had the privilege of having him as a father for these seventeen years of my life. "I still need to learn to interact with different people, each with their own cultural backgrounds. Naoki, as its full name states, is an international school with students from all over the world. The diversity in the student body will provide me a safer learning environment for such interactions."

"You still haven't told me why you want to go," the lilting voice of my mother interjected, the woman in question coming in from the kitchen. Her crimson hair flowed freely down her back, a few strands hanging in front of her pale green eyes. "Why this Naoki place and not somewhere…well, closer to home? There are plenty of schools in Europe where you can have such an experience."

Here it was: the problem that had devoured many hours of my sleep. "I want to attend Naoki because…because I want to be able to see all that this world offers. I want to see the world when it's at peace, not just during the chaos of war. Also, I feel as if something profound will occur at Naoki and I do not intend to miss it." I then turned back to Father, the one I truly needed to convince. I decided it would be best for me to just play my trump card now instead of later. "If my reasoning alone isn't enough to deter you, then would me promising to enlist as soon as my schooling is finished sway you?"

"What?" a voice called from upstairs. Callum's head, with his short, tousled black hair, poked out from around the corner. "Are you serious?"

"Of course," I responded, offended.

"Wow," he blurted, fully coming into view now. He was only an inch or two taller than me, but he had been growing like a weed for the past year. I wouldn't be surprised if he reaches our father's height by the time he finishes growing. His mouth was set in that persistent smirk just before the teasing began, and his pale blue eyes sparkled with a mischievous light. "That's such a shocker."

"What, may I ask, are you implying by that?" I asked, deciding to play along for a little bit with whatever he was insinuating.

"I would have thought you would break that tradition! You know, make a different name for yourself! Maybe even something more-"

"As an Ainsley, it is my duty, is it not?" I interrupted harshly, no longer wishing to know just what was winding its way through my brother's mind.

"Well, yeah, sure, but…" Callum stammered, not sure how to react to my statement.

"Enough already." I was stopping those thoughts where they stood. There were more pressing issues to deal with. "So, Father? Am I allowed to attend Naoki?"

He pondered it for a minute before finally replying, "I'll allow you to attend, but as soon as you return you will enlist. Are we in agreement?"

"We are," I responded, nodding. "Thank you, Father."

"Go and get some of your belongings packed now so that you have less to worry about later," Mother said, clearly excited for me. I guess all it really had taken to convince her was to have a reason. That much made sense. I bounded up the steps to do just as she suggested.

* * *

 **Multiple chapters in one day? I'm about as shocked as anybody else would be. But as my friends know, I can either write things in 20 minutes or 20 days. There is no in between. I hope this will end up proving that wrong though. I would have had these chapters all up _three days ago_ but proper proofreading on FanFiction through the mobile app is horrid for me.**

 **And…I only have one thing of trivia for this one, so I'm not making a list. I guess that makes sense, though, since these are coming out on the same day. Anyway, her parents' names are…Alexander…and Emily. And I just came up with them right now through random name generator stuff. Callum, on the other hand, was set when I made Morag herself.**


	3. So It Begins

The days passed by like little Bunnelby, and before I knew it the time to depart had arrived. I stared at the woman in the mirror glaring back at me with her brown eyes. Most of her black hair was pulled back into a meticulous bun, though some of it was left out of the bun to hang slightly above her shoulders. She wore a black military jacket and a crimson metal choker, and although I couldn't see any further, I knew she had on dark gray pants along with a pair of black combat boots. "I still can't believe that's me," I muttered to myself, turning away from the Morag in the mirror. I pulled on my white fingerless gloves before leaving my room without a backward glance. It's not like it had any sentimental value, considering how often we moved.

Before I could head downstairs, Callum stepped in front of me. He, too, was leaving today, though of course his was due to deployment. "Aww, my little sis is all ready for school! I'm so proud of you," he said, hand reaching to mess up the hair I had spent the past ten minutes perfecting.

"Oh, shut it, you," I groaned, swatting the prying hand away before it could cause any damage.

"Personally, I still think you would make a good-"

"Do me a favor and get whatever obscene thought you're thinking right now out of your head."

"Come on, I'm just teasing you!"

"And I have had enough." I walked down the steps, ending the conversation. The suitcases I had packed were sitting by the door. Mother stood up from her chair upon my arrival, though Father was nowhere to be found. He was currently in a meeting, but I had already known that. We had said our goodbyes last night. I glanced over to my mother; she looked like she wanted to say something, but her emotions prevented her from speaking. An awkward silence ensued, which I decided needed broken. "We should head to the airport now. Missing our flights wouldn't be ideal."

"R-Right," she managed to say before heading out to the car. Callum, who had followed me downstairs, picked up the larger suitcase effortlessly. Grabbing the other suitcase, I trailed after him. We joined Mother outside and placed the suitcases in the trunk.

"Shotgun!" Callum suddenly called before rushing over to the passenger seat. I sighed, shaking my head at his antics. I climbed into the backseat, and we were off to the airport.

* * *

It wasn't long before we arrived. We all exited the car, Callum pulling both of my suitcases out of the back, setting them beside me before grabbing his own stuff. Mother then startled me when she pulled us into a fierce hug. Her head laid on my left shoulder, and I could feel her wet cheek against mine. I forced myself not to cry; I had to be strong, for her sake. "I'll be back before you know it," I murmured, and at last she pulled away. The tears I had felt streaked down her face like cracks in a rock. "I'll make sure to call," I added before turning away from her without another word. I refused to let her see the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes. It was only when I entered the building itself that I wiped my eyes of weakness.

"You, crying? Since when?" Callum asked behind me.

Of course, he had to notice. Turning around, I opened my mouth to deny it, but I simply couldn't get the words out. What was the point of denying it when he had obviously seen it? Instead, I replied, "Yes, I was. Is there a problem?"

He chuckled at that. "No, just was a bit surprised, that's all. It's not like you to cry." I shot him a halfhearted glare. "I'm gonna miss you, ya know," he said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I will miss you as well," I replied, grasping his hand firmly. "Don't do anything too reckless," I added, a rare, genuine smile crossing my features. He was always capable of eliciting such an emotional response from me, even when I was mad at him.

"Heh. No guarantees."

I shook my head at that. "Of course not," I replied with a sigh, letting go as he removed his hand. With a final wave, he turned to catch his flight. Resigning myself to the trip before me, I moved to do the same.

* * *

It was a grueling flight. I had spent most of the time sleeping, as I knew how brutal jet lag could be, especially when the time difference was as far apart as Japan and Scotland. It was almost 21:00 at home, yet here the sun had yet to rise. I picked up my luggage before making my way outside. Awe struck me upon seeing the site before me. In the time it had taken to get my belongings, the sun had just started to peek over the horizon. The city was still asleep, preparing to awaken to the day before it. A light breeze pulled gently at the loose hair. I was content to wait here for the bus to pick me up along with other students who were flying from overseas. It appeared I was the first one there.

A few hours passed, and a small group of students had begun to form. Most of them appeared to be first years, though there were a few fellow second years. The city bustled around us, people in a rush to get from one place to another. Some things were the same no matter the country, it seemed. It wasn't much longer before a bus pulled up to the group. A woman exited the bus and approached upon spotting our group. She did a quick head count and, satisfied by the number, ushered us onto the bus. "We're so excited to have you all here!" the woman said in Japanese, her voice preppy and cheery as expected. I tried my best to follow along with her speech about the school, though at times it was hard to follow. I had studied Japanese for the past several years when I had become enthralled by the Japanese culture, but studying a language in a classroom and being subject to an environment where fluent native speakers are speaking the language are two different situations.

The woman had just finished her speech by the time we arrived. When the bus finally came to a stop, we all exited to find ourselves before the school itself. As befitting a prestigious school, it was an impressive building guarded by the gate in front, and right outside it was a large fountain. "This way, everyone," the woman called out, gesturing us towards her. Upon all of us gathering around her, she began by pointing away from the school and down the street. "As you know, you each chose to train one type. Everyone lives in dorms, and each building houses a different type. We'll be heading there in a moment, but first we're gonna visit the school really quick!" She led the way towards the school itself, though we didn't go inside. From what I understood, the school had six floors and all our classes would be on the same floor. It seemed simple enough.

Once she was done, she led us back through the gate and in the direction she had originally pointed. Soon enough we came upon a group of apartment buildings. "Now, we're going to go to each building. When we get to your type, head on inside. There'll be someone there who'll give you your school stuff and tell you where your room is." We first went to the dorms of typical starter Pokémon. We went to a few more before finally reaching the dorm I belonged to: ground. I was alone in entering the building.

Inside the lobby area was another younger woman, though she appeared to be a student. She looked up as I entered, her brown ponytail brushing behind her and the Wooper resting on her head almost toppling off before righting itself. "Oh, you must be the new student! I'm Umeko, and you must be…M-Mora-san?" she asked, stumbling over my name, though I was used to it.

"Morag, actually, and yes, I am," I replied slowly, hoping my Japanese was able to get my words across.

Luckily, she understood. "Oh, sorry! That's a rather unique name. It kind of has this…harsh sound to it. Fitting for a ground-trainer, I'd think! Oops, I tend to ramble a lot. Well, enough of that! I have your schedule here, and if you'll come with me I can show you your room!"

"Thank you, Umeko…-san," I added hesitantly. Japanese honorifics were something I still struggled with.

"You can call me Umeko-chan if you want," Umeko prattled on as she went down the hall. She was now carrying the Wooper in her arms, her long sleeves protecting her from the poisonous film over its body. "So, where're you from, Morag-san?"

"Scotland."

"Wow, all the way from Europe? I love being able to meet people from all over! It's why I'm here. A lot of the students are still Japanese, but then you've got people like you from other countries." She stopped in front of one of the doors. "Well, here we are! I'm sure I'll see you around, right?"

"Sure," I replied, not sure if there was any truth in my statement. It seemed to satisfy her, though, as she turned and walked away, a slight bounce in her steps. Opening the door, I entered what was to be my room for the next two years. The first thing I noticed, besides the bed, was the extravagant kitchen area. "This is nice," I muttered to myself, closing the door behind me.

It was only then that I realized how exhausted I was. Through the window, the sky shone in brilliant shades of orange and pink in preparation for the night. When did it get to be so late? Despite being tired beyond belief, I sat down at the desk to write in my journal before going to sleep.

* * *

 **Another one out so soon? "Where's the Ylva that I'm used to?" Said no one ever. I promised this out...four days ago. That didn't happen, but I got this out faster than I ever would have expected normally given my normal tendencies. So I guess I'll be glad for that much.**

 **I will say this now, it probably will be a while before this story catches up with** ** _To the Better You_** **, if only because I have a full year to cover first, and so much I want to do with it. Yet I do want to get to the start of _To the Better You_ , so who knows exactly how long it will take.**

 **First off, I have some people I need to thank or reply to or both:**

 **-Clarified Conundrum: Okay, I know I just thanked you earlier, but oh well. First off, I'm glad you've enjoyed writing Morag. I have loved being able to see Morag evolve from just a form from a crazy obsessed girl known as me into an actual person who stands out in her own right. Also I may kind of ship her and Naomi a bit too much in my head (Yeah, yeah, I finally admit it...I ship this ship so much it's the biggest ship in my shipyard). Also, Callum's a goofball, really, but I guess it really does show how duty bound Morag is compared to her brother. Unintentional characterization is best characterization, apparently. I will _always_ shoutout about your stories, because they truly do hold a special place in my heart as well as my overobsessed mind. Also thanks for the favorite and follow. You have no idea how much this means to me. Even now, over a year after I first discovered your stories in the form of _Spirits_ , I always try to write these side stories so that they are worthy of standing alongside yours. Mine certainly isn't up to your level by any means, but I will keep trying to make this the best it can be.**

 **-Plague Dog UnleasheD: Thank you for following! I hope you'll enjoy this journey as much as I am right now.**

 **-Farla: I was warned about you before and how your "reviews" can be and that some people have quit writing just because of your comments. As you'll realize, I'm not one of those. If anything, it just made me get this up faster just to show that I won't let someone like you bring me down. If you had read far enough (heck, even the end of the first chapter), you would have known most of the story is not in diary format. Or even Chapter 2, which is in that normal story format. And as far as stuff "not being necessary" it leads right into Chapter 2 and is meant to just get an idea of what Morag's like and her current situation. I'm sorry if this sounds bitter, because I'm really not, and since I don't know how far you read I may be completely wrong with you not having read that part.**

 **-Anonymous 1O1: Rest assured, Pokémon are definitely a big part in this, even though it hasn't seemed like it just yet. I do plan on also bringing in how a modern military would function with Pokémon involved, though I'm not quite sure how I'll go about it as of yet. Thank you for the favorite and follow as well.**

 **-Mega Espeon: Thank you for the favorite and the follow! Klaus is personally one of my favorite characters now, especially with Clarified Conundrum's most recent chapter.**

 **So, more trivia!**

 **-I have no idea if they say shotgun in other countries or if that's just an American thing, but oh well. I felt it would fit Callum to do that in the moment, hence why it's there, accuracy be damned.**

 **-I didn't originally plan on revealing what type Morag trained for a while, but as I was writing this it became clear that I couldn't really write it well _without_ doing so. So yeah, it's now revealed: she trains ground types. Though I'm not revealing which ground types just yet. Plus it kind of already was out in the open, if one did a little bit of searching (not in the story itself, mind you).**

 **-I am ashamed to admit that I had to look up Japanese honorifics to make sure I used the right one, though I guess it would make sense, for both Morag and me.**


	4. Entry 2

I haven't written anything in a while, so here goes.

The school is…not quite what I expected. Though I really don't know what I expected. I should just wait until I get to truly know the school to make any judgments like that, especially considering this is my first day here. My opinions could change once classes commence.

I'm still frustrated that Japanese isn't coming to me as well as I'd hope. I thought I knew all I needed to know about the language, but I never expected it to be as difficult as it has been. I feel even more like an outsider than I already am. I can only hope that it gets easier as time goes on.

I ended up making a new acquaintance. Her name is Umeko, and I'm sure she is in my dorm as well. She's rather…energetic, to say the least. Interesting coming from someone who trains ground types. Some people believe that the type of Pokémon we choose to train reflects our personalities. For example, fire type trainers are usually expected to be very outgoing and passionate, though their tempers tend to flare at times. Ground type trainers such as myself are often associated with being…well, grounded and down to earth, as well as stubborn. Umeko, though, seems to be the opposite of that, as if she has her head in the clouds. I know she mentioned that a lot of the students here are Japanese, and I'm sure she is too. I am determined to meet as many people here as I can, and hopefully my interactions with these people are satisfactory. The language barrier is going to be tough to overcome, but I will not let it deter me from my goals or experiencing everything there is to see and do here in Sendai. I will not be beaten by something as simple as not being a native Japanese, that I promise.

* * *

 **So, yeah, two chapters in one go. There's a reason for this, trust me. When I have a journal entry, it will always come out with another chapter with it, as oftentimes the journal entry relates to the chapter before it. Other times it's to bridge events together, as one particular one farther down the road is meant to do. All of these are meant to explore Morag's character further, especially her emotions towards people and events. As such, they won't end up being as long, obviously, so that's also part of the reason why they'll come out with another chapter.**


	5. Encounters

The first day of school came quicker than most students wanted to, though I did not mind the starting of a new school year. I had spent my time up to this point becoming acquainted with my surroundings, both on and off campus. I was beginning to feel more comfortable here, which was assuredly a good sign. After having gone through my daily routine, I took a quick glance in the mirror to make sure I looked presentable. Satisfied, I grabbed my bag from off the bed before leaving my room. I was confident that this day would go smoothly.

However, it did not take long for the day to try and prove me wrong. As I exited the lobby door, a tall equine Pokémon barreled towards me, skidding to a stop just in front of me. The Mudsdale's blue eyes stared solemnly down at me. It let out a sudden snort as someone on its back shifted their position. "Hey, Morag-san!" Umeko's head poked out from behind the powerful ground type before she dismounted. How a girl as slight as Umeko, who barely stood above five feet, was able to stay on a galloping Mudsdale was beyond me. Even if Mudsdale were not known to be fast, this one had been going at a good speed. "You ready for the first day of school?" she asked, rocking back and forth on her feet.

"I suppose," I responded, refusing to allow any signs of nervousness to show themselves to this energetic girl.

"You _suppose_?" she blurted out, looking distraught at my vague statement. "How could you _not_ be excited? This is the day you get to show everyone what you're made of! Plus, there's all the cute little first years! And even new second years like yourself! Who knows, there could even be a new third year this year! Though that _never_ happens, as there hasn't been anyone who transferred as a third year in _forever_ , not even when my brother Ayumu graduated from here fifteen years ago. I can only imagine how hard it'd be to transfer during your last year of school." She stopped bouncing around for a moment after her rambling as an idea seemed to come to her. "Oh, hey, you wanna ride? My buddy here can get us there super quick!"

"…You want me to do what?"

"Come on! He's reeeally nice, and he doesn't bite!" She clambered up the Mudsdale's back, and she turned back towards me to offer an outstretched hand. It was becoming more and more apparent that she intended to ride her Mudsdale to the school. "Hop on up! As I said, he won't bite, so don't worry!"

"I am not worried," I snapped, crossing my arms. "Honestly, are you even sure this is allowed?"

"Sure I'm sure! I do it all the time! Hurry up, Slowpoke!" She beckoned with her hand, impatiently waiting for me to accept her offer. Against my better judgment, I relented and grasped her hand with mine. I pulled myself up behind her, warily wrapping my arms around her waist. This was not my first time riding a Pokémon, as I had ridden an Arcanine of one of my childhood friends, Rini, a few times in the past during training, so I knew that trying to stay mounted without hanging on to something was a sure way to be sent flying off. She let out a short, high pitched giggle before patting Mudsdale. "Alright, let's show her what you're capable of," she whispered into his ear. He seemed to get the memo, as he took off with an unexpected burst of speed. Umeko let out a whoop of joy as the Mudsdale barreled forward. Somehow, she managed to keep us from trampling over any unsuspecting persons just trying to enjoy a casual stroll. I let out a sigh as we galloped along, enjoying the feeling of the wind in my face. The strands I had left hanging loose flew behind me.

Before I knew it, we had arrived at the school without managing to cause chaos in our wake. Umeko half scrambled, half leaped off Mudsdale before returning him to his Poké Ball. "You know where you're going, right?"

"Of course," I said, pulling out my schedule.

"Good! Let's g-" she started to say, reaching into her bag. Her mouth gaped open when she didn't seem to find something. "Oh, no no no no no. Not again. Where could it be?" She rummaged frantically through her bag with no luck. "Crap, I'll see you later. I forgot something. Bu-bye!" She then turned and ran back in the direction of the dorms.

I stared after her for a few moments before turning away and walking towards the stairs. "Well, that was a thing," I muttered to myself. I contemplated waiting for her, but I was sure she would be fine on her own. I made my way up the stairs until I reached the floor for second year classrooms. People were still chattering away in the hallways, catching up with old friends. A few others were alone, watching these interactions without participating. "So even here there are social cliques. Interesting." I decided it was best for me to head straight to my first class rather than remain in the hallway.

The classroom I entered had a steady amount of noise, but it quickly turned into a low murmur upon my entering the room. I gave no outward indication that I noticed, opting to sit in a seat near the front so I could pay attention more easily. I could feel the eyes of the other students on me, and if I strained my ears enough I could hear the curious whispers about me. I refused to acknowledge it, and soon enough, the noise level returned to normal. At long last, the teacher entered. She gave a slight smile and said, "Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Naoki! I see some new faces here as well, and to anyone who has just transferred here I would like to personally welcome you here. My name is Yumi Matsumoto. Now, with that, let's begin class!"

 _So it begins_ , I thought to myself as I gave my undivided attention to Matsumoto-sensei.

* * *

The first day passed by so quickly. For it having been the first day of schooling here, it went by as well as I had anticipated. I had managed not to draw too much unwanted attention towards myself. After class had ended, a few students had come up to me with questions. I answered the simpler ones, like who I was and where I was from, but when some of the questions became more personal, I quickly excused myself. There were just some questions that I would rather wait to give answers to when I was more acclimated to the school setting.

As I was making my way to the dorms, I started to wonder where Umeko had gone off to. I had yet to see her since this morning, so I assumed that she just had different classes than me. It was unfortunate, but it was not too much of a problem. I had managed fine without her today.

I had just reached the first of the dorm buildings when a large, brown haired boy walked out of the building. I moved to avoid him, but he suddenly turned and ran straight into me. "Hey, watch where you're going, _gaijin_ ," the boy snapped in English, as if to make sure I understood him, before switching to Japanese with his last word. I knew it translated to foreigner, but the way he said that one word, as if it tasted like bile in his mouth, spoke for itself.

"I was watching where I was going," I replied calmly in Japanese, shooting a glare at him while crossing my arms. "You were the one who wasn't being vigilant to their surroundings."

He sent back a glare of his own, though I was as unfazed as he had been to my own. "Oh, you think just 'cause you're using big words that you're better than us?" It was then that I noticed the two boys behind him, both as much of bullies as their ringleader. This predicament was becoming more troublesome by the second. "Well? Do ya?"

"No, though it is rather low of you to be picking fights you have no hopes of winning."

"Oh, really?" one of the boy's lackeys said in a confident tone. "Did they not teach you math where you come from? There's three of us, and only one of you. Katsu is not someone to take lightly, and Shota and I aren't pushovers ourselves!"

"It may not be fair," their leader, Katsu, continued, "but no one messes with me and gets away with it. Surely you understand."

"You are right. This truly isn't a fair fight." The right side of my lips curled into a smirk. "Bring a couple more guys, and then we will be evenly matched."

The easy going yet conceited expression that had originally been on Katsu's face was replaced with one of pure loathing and anger. "You'll pay for that!" No sooner than the words were out of his mouth, he careened forward with a wild punch aimed in my general direction. I barely had to sidestep out of the way due to his erratic aim. I was initially surprised when the other two didn't jump in to help, but it gave me enough time to analyze the situation I was in while my opponent was regaining his balance. Due to his height advantage, he had more reach than me. However, just through that one attempt alone I could tell that I was quicker than him, and I was definitely more accurate too. It also helped that I was trained to handle scenarios where I did not have a Pokémon by my side.

I stayed on the defensive as Katsu kept lashing out. None of his blows connected, though, as he was using his anger to fuel the power behind his throws rather than taking a moment to actually aim. It was not hard to avoid them, and with the fight only being against him, it was barely even worth prolonging. At each missed strike, Katsu only became more and more infuriated. His already inaccurate blows were becoming even easier to dodge.

Finally, I had had enough of this game. I ducked under a punch aimed much too high to even hit my face, and instead of backing off like I had been, I used my momentum to send him flying back with a well-aimed uppercut. He slammed into the wall just as I pinned him there. His eyes widened in fear. It was all too apparent that he had never faced an opponent like me before. "You listen to me," I growled, coldly staring at this pathetic excuse of a human being. "Bullies like you disgust me. I did nothing to you. All I want is to be left alone, understand?"

The fear in his face suddenly dissipated, replaced with a smile that was all but friendly. Realizing my error too late, I turned just as the third boy shoved me into Shota. I lost my balance for only a second, but it was all the time Shota needed. He grabbed my arms as soon as I landed into him, attempting to pin them behind me. There was no way I was going to let that happen. I fought back against him, flailing erratically before sending my foot back into his knee. "Ack! This one's a fighter for sure. Help me out, Riku."

The boy who had managed to catch me off guard, who I assumed was Riku, came over, grabbing my right arm as Shota kept hold of my left. This was not an ideal situation by any stretch of the words. I knew how dangerous being trapped like this was, as it caused the options for escaping to be limited. With that in mind, I ceased my struggles in the hopes that a sudden bout of strength would be enough to release myself from their grip. "Oh, you finally scared of us?" Riku laughed, noticing my sudden lack of movement.

"You wish," I replied through gritted teeth without looking at him. I kept my eyes trained on Katsu. He had just recovered from my attack on him, though his hair was still disheveled, and a bruise was starting to form on his jaw. The look on his face, one of both anger and glee, was enough to even make me feel a twinge of fear. I glared into his manic brown eyes as he approached so that he wouldn't become aware of that horrid emotion.

Katsu towered over me, that demonic smile still on his face. It was only then I realized just how tall he really was. He had to have been at least six feet tall. His height, though, did not intimidate me in the slightest. I had never let it intimidate me in the past, and I wasn't about to let it faze me this time either. "Didn't I tell you no one gets away with messing with me?" he snarled.

"You did, but need I remind you that you were the aggressor."

He frowned at that, his eyebrows knitted in anger. "I promise you, when I'm through with you you'll know better than to try and fight me again."

"Then do it already," I snapped, bracing myself for what was sure to come. I had been through much worse than this one boy could possibly throw at me. His smile only widened in response, a crazed look coming to his eyes. His fist came up, aiming for my face. One of his many mistakes during this fight, as I was ready to duck-

"Well, well, look what we have here."

* * *

 **Oh, that cliffhanger. I am so evil.**

 **I would have had this chapter out a lot sooner, but over half of the alphabet on my computer's keyboard decided to fail and only just started working yesterday, so my time for typing for several days was extremely limited. I apologize for that!**

 **Some responses, as per usual:**

 **-Clarified Conundrum: I'll admit I wasn't sure if I wanted Umeko to be a more recurring character, but after writing her part in this chapter I am convinced that she should be. I've never really written a super bubbly personality like hers, but I'm finding it's a lot of fun! I have a lot planned for her now. And, as I told you personally, but I just wanted to say to everyone else, the day Morag admits something like being nervous or frustrated out loud to anyone is the day the world is ending.**

 **-Mega Espeon: You know, I really am tempted to change it to that now, but I already have problems taking the title seriously as it is, for my own personal reasons. I wouldn't get anything done because I'd be laughing so hard at the title. So, as much as I'd love to take the suggestion…yeah.**

 **-Anonymous 1O1: I never had thought about that before, and I like the idea. More on that later.**

 **Trivia:**

 **-So, this one is a bit old but I did just realize it a couple days after posting the last two chapters. I already mentioned where Morag's first name came from, but her surname is a different story. At first, it had seemed random just based on it being a Scottish surname. At the time, I had thought it had sounded familiar but didn't think much of it. Then, a good friend of mine on here, Ganondora, informed me it was (coincidentally) the name of one of the kingdoms in her book, _Bound by Time: The Possessive Flame_. Apparently my mind must have subconsciously recognized it and thought it sounded good. And looking back at that book now, I can see why I would pick Ainsley.**

 **-This chapter originally played out much differently, but I realized I wanted to wait before a certain part, so I moved the one part to later and wrote what you see now. The Umeko with Mudsdale part was the only part that remained in this chapter instead of being delegated to later chapters, and even that changed a bit.**

 **-I also had no idea what I was going to do with the ending itself, as I originally was going to introduce the principal when Morag was still winning, but I didn't really like the idea I had. Then I realized that I could just as easily do something else I've been looking forward to ever since starting this, hence what you see now. Killing two birds with one stone, in more ways than one.**

 **-Speaking of birds, for any of you hawk-eyed readers who happen to know my OCs, you might have recognized this "Rini" friend. It's sort of a throwback to an old OC of mine with the same name (Marina Morra, though she went by Rini) from an older story of Clarified Conundrum's: _A World Beyond Our Own_. In that story, Rini was a fire type trainer, and she had an Arcanine herself. It really was just more out of nostalgia than anything, though who knows. Maybe she'll make a true appearance, maybe not.**

 **Alright, now that the trivia is finished, back to Anonymous 1O1's idea. It got me thinking, so I have a question for everyone: what types and/or Pokémon rivalries would you want to see? I have a few ideas in mind, some that would be obvious, others less so, but I personally want to see what you all think. Any type is fair game, too, so don't feel like you're limited to the people we have seen so far! Though legendary and mythical Pokémon are obviously excluded.**


	6. Knights and Maidens

Katsu froze mid-punch, a look of irritation crossing his face in response to the unexpected intrusion. He turned around slowly as he snapped, "Who do you think you are? Can't you see I'm in the middle of-" He stopped though upon seeing whoever it was that was behind him. His fists clenched tightly, and he was suddenly tense. "Y-You!"

"What, were you expecting someone else?" the newcomer retorted, moving into my line of sight. While the boy wasn't as tall nor as big as Katsu, he had a leaner edge to him and more defined muscles underneath his black leather jacket and jeans. His head was tilted in such a way that his black hair covered his eyes, giving him an imposing aura. He appeared to be a native, though something about him made me believe he was a foreigner like me. "Would you have preferred Saito-sama instead?"

Katsu chuckled at that. "You're joking, right? Saito-sama can't do anything to me. The worst that could happen is getting suspended, but so what?"

"Yeah, so what?" Riku interjected, for some reason believing that repeating something made it that much more significant.

The boy laughed as if Riku had just told a bad joke. "What's so funny?" Shota growled next to me.

He cut his laughter short to clarify what caused him such mirth. "I'd gladly get you all suspended. At least then I wouldn't have to deal with your sorry asses for a few days."

"Do you want a fight?" Katsu said irritably.

"I'd prefer a challenge, but if all the previous fights are an indication, I won't get one here."

Upon that last statement, Katsu snapped, whipping a Poké Ball from his jacket pocket. "I won't let you win this time!" Shaking in rage, he let out an audible breath, visibly calming his flared temper from his outburst. "And once I'm through with you, I'll get back to business," he added smugly, glancing meaningfully in my direction while I continued to glare at him. Shrugging, he tossed his Poké Ball nonchalantly. A hulking green Pokémon stood between the opposing forces, letting out a fearsome roar as dust swirled up around it. Tyranitar.

"Yeah! Let's show them your incredible power, Braviary!" He threw his own Poké Ball up into the air, the Braviary in question appearing by his side. I found myself seriously questioning just how he planned to defeat this monstrous rock golem of a Pokémon that had a type advantage against his Braviary, especially when the dust only continued to pick up in intensity.

As the battle commenced, I found myself understanding why the two dunderheads still holding me followed Katsu in the first place. These two may have been dense, but by following Katsu, they were granted his protection. And as much as I hated to admit it, that Tyranitar was a powerful force to be reckoned with. Despite Katsu not uttering a single word, the Tyranitar seemed to instinctively know exactly what its trainer wanted. It charged in blind rage towards the smaller flying type with fists coated in electricity. The other boy seemed just as content to let his partner do whatever it chose rather than give it actual commands. Braviary stared the Tyranitar down before it shot up into the air at the last moment possible, narrowly avoiding the Thunder Punch. It quickly gained altitude, its wings sending whirling gusts of wind through the tumultuous sandstorm. With a shriek, it dived back down, energy reminiscent of flames encircling its form before bursting into a blue aura. Its aim was true, and the impact sent the Tyranitar reeling back. Enraged, it lunged forward while snapping its jaws, but its quarry was already out of range. Small sparks crawled along the Braviary's body, though it ignored whatever pain it must have been in. This process repeated itself for several attacks, and it was becoming clear that all that power behind the Tyranitar's moves meant nothing if it couldn't even hit its target. Braviary had taken to flying in lazy circles around its opponent, its calm flight interspersed with the occasional use of Brave Bird. It didn't even need to move erratically to stay out of the destructive path the Tyranitar left in its wake, as the latter's accuracy remained as atrocious as its trainer's had been a few minutes prior.

After the fifth such Brave Bird, the dust finally cleared and settled around the two Pokémon glaring daggers at one another. Tyranitar, realizing its Thunder Punch and Crunch attacks were proving ineffective, changed its tactics, opting to slam its clenched hand into the ground in fury. At first, nothing happened, but before anyone could blink, large, pointed stalagmites shot upward, at long last striking a blow on the faster Pokémon. An involuntary cry of pain arose from Braviary before it plummeted downward. Shota and Riku cheered as the Tyranitar followed up with a resounding snap of its jaws to throw Braviary farther off course, and I knew now was the time to make my move. Being engrossed as they were in the battle, their grip on me had slackened significantly. I lurched forward with as much force as I could muster, easily breaking free of my captors. They started to pursue but stopped when a sudden burst of white light emitted from the direction of the fight.

Having righted itself before it could hit the ground, the Braviary flew treacherously close to the surface. It tore through the air at incredulous speeds and struck headfirst into the Tyranitar's more vulnerable belly. Unprepared for Braviary's sudden retaliation, it was unable to handle the full brunt of the attack. It crumbled to its feet before falling unconscious, its weight causing the very ground beneath us to shake.

"H-How?" Katsu muttered as he returned his battered Tyranitar, barely audible despite the sudden silence. "How could we have been beaten like this?!" Infuriated, he rushed towards the boy who had just defeated him, intending to take matters into his own hands, but halted when Braviary landed in front of its trainer. Its wings were stretched wide as it screeched in Katsu's face. It was as if it was goading him into trying to attack in vain.

"That's what you get when you mess with the Unstoppable Vachir Dzoldzaya! Vachir for short," the boy added in an aside towards me, a wide grin splayed across his face. He turned his attention back to the others. "You chaps better leave now or you won't like what's coming to you," he continued in that same jovial tone, despite the veiled threat concealed within his words. The three bullies seemed to understand the implication, as they scattered like the cowards they were. I watched them scamper away with contempt, but the sounds of someone approaching interrupted me from my thoughts. This Vachir came over to me, his now visible amber eyes holding a spark of excitement from his fight. "You okay? Those guys are tough in more ways than one."

I scoffed at that. "I was handling the situation."

"Pssh. Then why did it seem like you were a few seconds away from being pummeled?"

"I was fine," I retorted.

He gave me a look that made it appear that he was not taking my statement seriously. Either that or he was doubting the validity of said statement. "If that's what you call being fine, I don't wanna see what a crisis would be."

"I told you I was fine," I snapped, turning and walking away from him. "It was nothing I couldn't handle."

I internally groaned when I heard him trail after me. "Wait up!" he called out, though I had no intentions of following through. "Can I at least be honored with your name, fair maiden?"

I froze up upon hearing that. "Fair maiden?" I echoed, bewildered. I turned back towards him. "Is that what you think I am? Just a damsel in distress waiting for her knight in shining armor to rescue her? If so, then you are horribly mistaken. That boy just got lucky. That's all."

Chuckling, Vachir replied, "Alright, alright. Forget the fair maiden part then. But seriously, I've never seen you around these parts, and you don't look like a first year. Who are you?"

I decided the best policy was to forgive and forget, though trying to forget something as baffling as someone calling me a 'fair maiden' was about as likely as a Grumpig sprouting wings and flying away. "Morag Ainsley. I'm a second year."

"Morag, huh?" Vachir replied, leaning against a nearby fence. "That's an odd name."

"Like you're one to talk? What's with this…unstoppable…whatever you said?"

"C'mon, it's supposed to be a badass nickname, y'know? Strikes fear into all who hear it. Like Crasher Wake, or Ghost Eraser," he replied earnestly. "There's one I've always wanted to call someone, too: Flamebringer! You train fire types?"

"No, I don't." I sighed, finding my patience being tested, before asking, "What about the rest of it? I'm assuming that part is your name?"

"Huh? Oh, it's Vachir Dzoldzaya," he repeated, slower this time. "Though I tell my friends to just call me Vachir. It's easier, rolls right off the tongue."

I stared at him for a moment. "You believe I am your friend?" I asked in a neutral tone.

"Of course!" he replied, nodding with his response. I was unsure how exactly to take this. I barely even knew him, and he was basically a stranger right now. He was not the kind of person I would normally be friends with in any circumstance, and already I was beginning to wonder just how much of him I could tolerate at a time. There was only one way to truly find out, though I wasn't sure I wanted to necessarily put myself through the trials of a friendship with this eccentric boy. "We…are friends, aren't we?" he asked after the silence between us had manifested into an awkward one.

"…Sure, why not?" I answered, hoping that I would not come to regret my decision in the future.

"Yes!" he cheered, his sudden movement causing the unstable fence to break right beneath him. Unbalanced as he was, he flailed his arms wildly as he fell backwards into the remains of the broken fence. Beside him, a small black Pokémon hopped up to him, its black plumage ruffled. The Murkrow gently pecked him, as if urging him to get up.

"Are you quite alright?" I asked, not truly concerned about the flying trainer sprawled out on the ground before me. It was not a substantial fall and would leave little more than mere scratches and bruises. "And…is that Pokémon yours?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," he grumbled, sitting back up. "Not the first time that's happened. And no, the Murkrow isn't mine. Though it always follows me everywhere." He quickly pushed himself up and came over to me, warily staring at the Murkrow as he whispered, "I think it's what causes my bad luck."

"Bad luck? Surely not. It is a mere superstition. Nothing more."

"But but but! It is! Before it showed up, my life was as normal as could be. Then as soon as it started following me, bad things happen to me all the time! Take that fence, for example. It broke when I was leaning on it."

"There was a battle here," I reminded him. "A wooden fence would have been weakened from the force exerted on it beforehand."

"That's not it! I've had normal wooden fences break before, have fallen through a few roofs, been hit on the head by falling tree limbs, and don't even get me started on snowstorms!"

"Very well, I will take your word on it. I'm going to head back to the dorms. I've had my fair share of this place and would prefer a change in scenery."

"Ah, I have a few things I need to pick up from a few stores, so I'll catch up with you later, Flamebringer."

"Again, I don't train fire types," I snapped, but he was already out of earshot. I shoved my hands into my pockets as I made my way back to the dorms, hoping to catch a glimpse of Umeko. I had the urge to tell her everything that had happened today, from the teachers to Katsu and his gang to my newest "friend". Unfortunately, she was nowhere to be found in the ground dorm, and when I asked a few people where she would be, they looked at me as if they were confused by my question. One even had the gall to deny that Umeko even existed, insisting that I must be imagining things. I knew though that he was wrong, as I had not imagined the girl who had been the first student I had made a connection with nor us riding to the school atop her Mudsdale. There was simply no way that it was all inside my head.

With more questions than answers, I opened my dorm room and pulled one of the instant meals I had brought from home out of the fridge. I groaned upon seeing that there were only a few more left. I was by no means a cook, and with the cuisine here being radically different than in Scotland, I had no idea where to even begin when it came to food. _Maybe I can ask someone if they know any good places to buy food_ , I thought to myself as I began to eat. As I chewed, my thoughts wandered back to Umeko. Where could she be? And why was it that nobody seemed to know who she was? There had to be someone who knew the energetic girl who always rode to school on a Mudsdale. I would just have to find her myself tomorrow, since it appeared no one in this dorm was able to help me. Surely there was some explanation, one that I would discover, even if it meant searching through all of Sendai to uncover it.

* * *

 **I am shocked that I am getting these chapters out on a mostly regular basis. For once, overobsession is paying off! If this is what being motivated with writing is like, I'll gladly take it and run.**

 **For ANYONE who wants to leave a review and wants to make sure I see it, I advise both posting a review on here and sending it in a PM. For whatever reason, there's been a glitch recently where reviews haven't been showing up and that automatic emails haven't been sent either. PMs still work, which is why I would advise also sending it that way. I really hope this is fixed soon, because it really is bad for me when I write a long review for something and then it doesn't even show up because the site is being stupid.**

 **Edit: Never mind, it fixed itself shortly before I had posted this chapter. All reviews should show up fine.**

 **Okay, that negativity aside, thanks to all of you for your rivalry suggestions, and I am definitely keeping them in mind as I am writing, as we'll actually start seeing next chapter. A lot of these I never would have originally thought of, so I am grateful to everyone who gave such suggestions. You all know who you are. I still will take any additional rivalry suggestions for a while for anyone who is just coming in now or comes across this in the future, as we have yet to get to the main event where I'll be putting a lot of these rivalries into use.**

 **Responses not covered by my statement above:**

 **-Clarified Conundrum: Ah, yes,** **Rini was one of my favorite OCs as well, though every OC I have done holds a special place in my heart. And I'm honored that you think my characterization is great, as I kind of see you as the characterization master. Hopefully this chapter will live up to your expectations.**

 **-Umbruhon: Well, late as I am, a chapter with her had come out a couple days ago, so we do get to see more of her. As I mentioned just a few sentences ago, Rini was one of my favorites. And I personally do recommend the Xenoblade games, but I will warn you they are very time consuming, as the first game took me just over 100 hours to beat and Xenoblade 2 is up to almost 150. Also thank you for the favorite and follow!**

 **Trivia:**

 **-So, I said earlier that I based Morag off Mὸrag (that sounded so much better in my head, but I am too lazy to try changing it) from Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Well, Vachir is similar in that respect. He is based off Zeke from said game, though it's not as obvious as Morag. His hammy attitude came, of course, as well as his bad luck. Even part of his name sort of references it, though more on that later...**

 **-Originally, I was set on having Vachir use electric types to reference Pandoria, but when I went to look at all the electric type Pokémon available, I realized…there really wasn't many electric types I actually wanted to do. So, instead, I went to look up Pokémon that are bad luck to bring in Zeke's atrocious luck. Of course, there was Absol, but that was just too predictable, and some could say Absol is good luck because it is trying to warn you of disaster. Then I came across Murkrow, whose Pokédex entries constantly state Murkrow brings bad luck. It was at that moment I knew what Pokémon I wanted to give Vachir. Hence why he is a flying-type trainer instead of an electric-type trainer.**

 **-Okay...so Vachir's full name. I am SO SORRY if I am screwing up the Mongolian culture/names/everything dealing with it. The first part of his name, Dzoldzaya, apparently means "Light of Destiny", and the second part, Vachir, means "Thunderbolt". The latter part specifically references Zeke, as he is sometimes called "Thunderbolt" Zeke. See? I think _some_ things through.**

 **-Speaking of names...the nickname part. Crasher Wake is, of course, the gym leader of Pastoria City in the Sinnoh region. The Ghost Eraser one is from** **Pokémon Black and White 2, and is the name of the protagonist in the** **Pokéstar Studio movie of the same name. Flamebringer, on the other hand, is what** **Mὸrag is known as at times in Xenoblade 2. I only plan on Vachir ever using that nickname, and not very often as I doubt Morag would ever tolerate it, if this was any indication.**

 **-I will say this now but Morag and Vachir are not going to be a ship that I do. Just throwing that out there now before this goes too far...or anywhere for that matter. I have...other ideas in mind for him. _smirks_**


	7. Emotions and Delusions

_I opened my eyes to find myself alone. Darkness surrounded my very being, with no sign of a light source anywhere. I blinked, and suddenly, a boy was in front of me, brown hair tousled as it had been when I first met him. "You made a fool of me, you know," Katsu growled as he approached. "A real fool."_

 _I went to back up but found my legs were uncooperative. "It's just a dream," I muttered to myself, glaring forward. "It's just a dream."_

 _Despite my repeated mantra, I couldn't help but panic as he pushed me to the ground. I kept trying in vain to get my legs to move, but to no avail. I looked up and gasped, Katsu replaced with a man with red hair and green eyes. My fear spiked, knowing what this man was capable of. He chuckled as he looked down upon me, defenseless before him. "Do you see how it feels, you hellspawn?! You'll get what's coming to ya, mark my words."_

I gasped as I jolted awake, my breath coming in quick, shallow pants and sweat rolling down my back. His chuckling still resounded as a dull echo in my ears, and in my paranoia, I almost expected him to still be standing over me in triumph. I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing myself to take slower, more even breaths in order to calm my racing heart. Only once it finally stopped frantically beating on its cage of bones did I dare open my eyes again. I glanced over at the large dark blue Pokémon that laid beside me, her back rising and falling evenly as she slept soundly. For a few seconds, I envied Garchomp for how peaceful she could be in sleep while the occasional nightmare plagued my own. _I haven't had a dream with that dobber in it for nearly two years_ , I thought as I continued to watch my sleeping partner, involuntarily shuddering. _I wonder why he was in my dream tonight. Maybe…the fight with Katsu aggravated my more undesirable memories of that man?_

I nearly jumped when I heard a sudden movement. I turned towards the sound of the noise to find a vaguely humanoid shape inside the window frame. "Hey, Mo-chan!" the form sitting at my windowsill giggled, hopping to the floor. Familiar blue eyes stared back at me, alight with mirth, as I recognized who the person in my room was.

"Umeko-chan?"

A laugh escaped her. "Of course, silly! Who else would I be?"

 _I could think of a few less pleasant ones_. I found my mind slipping back to thoughts of Katsu and _him_ , and I quickly shook my head to clear it of such thoughts. "How did you get in my room?"

"Oh, that was easy-peasy!" she responded, plopping herself onto the bed beside me. "Your window was ajar, so I thought I'd drop in and say hi…so hi!" she added with a little wave.

Her statement prompted my memory, and I remembered that I had been searching for her in the first place. As groggy as I was, I was surprised it had even come to me so quickly. "Where were you?" I asked accusingly. "I was looking for you after school. When I asked where you were, though, nobody here even knew who you were. Why?"

"Oh, um, well, you see," Umeko stammered, suddenly bashful. In the dim lighting, I could only assume from the waver in her voice that my tone had hurt her more than I had intended. "I-I'm not exactly like the others here. You guys in the ground dorm are always so…serious and no-nonsense, and, well, I'm not. Most in this dorm don't know me, and the few that do…they go out of their way to deny my existence. They aren't the only ones, either. Few want to hang out wi-with some 'hyperactive little brat'. It's not _my_ fault that people are almost as cold-hearted as Mewtwo!" She looked like she wanted to say more, but the crying she had held back thus far overtook her voice.

"Someone…actually said you were a 'hyperactive little brat' to your face?"

She nodded in response without looking at me. In between the bouts of sobs wracking her body, she muttered, "They call me creepy…a freak…clingy…yandere…I try so hard t-to make everyone happy, and yet…" she trailed off, unable to continue. The silence continued to loom between us, the only sounds being Umeko's crying and Garchomp's gentle snoring behind me. "I-I didn't come here just to say hi. I…I was going to end it all," Umeko finally admitted, resting her head against her knees. My eyes widened. Even if I barely knew her personally, I found myself struggling to comprehend the fact that a girl as vibrant and full of life as the one before me had considered scouring her life from this world. "I almost did, too," she continued, her voice barely a raspy whisper now. "It would have been so easy to-to jump from my window. Top floor, with a five-story drop…And all the things they call me…they're right about me."

Unsure of what to do in the bleak situation, I placed my hand gently on her shoulder before responding to her obvious fears. "You're not any of those things."

"Y-You think so?" she asked, looking up at me, her eyes filled to the brim with hope.

"I _know_ so," I replied in confidence, shifting so I was directly facing her. "Sure, you may have as much energy as a Vigoroth. There may be some truth in the words people use to degrade others, but that doesn't give anyone the right to label you in such negative terms. You can't let yourself succumb to the opinions of others, especially those who refuse to even take the chance to realize that behind all that energy is a living being who has emotions that should never be tampered with like that. You are so much more than the barbed words thrown against you. You are Umeko Nakamura, a unique and passionate soul, and I think that's something to be proud of. Never let what makes you who you are be vanquished simply because the world tells you it's wrong. Make the world realize that it is the one in the wrong, not you."

"Th-thanks," she mumbled, latching onto me in a tight hug. At first, I stiffened from the unexpected contact, but I quickly relaxed my tense muscles and allowed her to hug me for as long as her heart desired. She needed it, that much I could tell. Eventually, she released me from her grip and smiled. "I'm sorry I bothered you so late at night."

I glanced over to the alarm clock, sighing slightly when noticing it was just a few minutes before one o'clock. "Don't worry about it. Just…tell me something…who has been calling you these things? Answer me, Umeko," I added when she didn't respond for a while.

"I-Iona. Iona Viktorov."

"Iona…very well. We'll find her tomorrow and tell her enough is enough."

"Him."

"Huh?"

"Iona is a boy."

"I see…well, then we'll tell _him_ enough is enough." Umeko giggled at that, a sharp contrast to the dour mood she had been expressing just a few moments prior. "What?" I asked, unsure of what she found so amusing from my statement.

"Oh, nothing. It's just…even now, you're just so serious and no-nonsense. And determined too. Yet you're still friends with me."

"I may be serious, but that doesn't mean I cannot have friends who are more on the easygoing side. Just ask my brother."

"Your brother? I didn't know you had a brother."

"I do," I replied, smiling softly at the memories that came unbidden to me. I chose not to elaborate further, though. Sure, I trusted Umeko, but I still was a bit uncomfortable sharing details about my personal life. "What about you? I know you mentioned having a brother before. Is he the only sibling you have?"

"Not even close: _six_. Aside from Ayumu, the oldest, there's Haruto, Katsurou, Ryota, Ken'ichi, and Rokuro. All older, too, except for Rokuro."

"And I thought having one brother was exasperating enough. I can't even fathom how you tolerate them all."

She laughed. "I guess I'm used to it. Though Ryota can be a bit rowdy at times. And don't even get me started on Ken'ichi. He's always causing mischief wherever he goes. He gets into so much trouble, I swear! There was even this one time where a bunch of Salandit chased him because he thought it would be a good idea to poke one of them with a stick. In what universe is that a good idea? And then I haven't really seen Katsurou in a while, but he was the quietest of us, always off doing his own thing, really. Haruto, too, but at least he visits every once in a while. He's always traveling from one country to another, bringing small trinkets for us when he returns. And despite the age difference, Rokuro and Ayumu are almost identical in personality. Goofy at times, but you can't help but love them despite the pranks. Oops, sorry," she apologized, finally having stopped to catch her breath. "Here I am rambling on and on again."

"I don't mind," I responded, surprised by how genuine my statement was. "Just remember to breathe occasionally."

"Okay, okay, _mother_ ," she chuckled. "I should probably let you get some sleep now. We still have school tomorrow after all."

"Of course." In a spur of the moment decision, I added in that accent that my brother would always try to provoke from me, "Bade safe, mah mukker."

She laughed, one leg hanging outside while the other was still in my room. "What's that supposed to mean? Is that even English?"

"Yes, it is," I responded, reverting to Japanese. "And it means 'stay safe, my friend'."

With the widest of grins, she replied, "Don't worry. I will." She gave another small wave before leaving, closing the window gingerly behind her. I let out a deep sigh as I rolled onto my side, preparing to once again rest. _Friendships are so tiresome sometimes_ , I thought wearily to myself as I drifted off. _But I suppose the bonds we forge are worth the hassle._

* * *

"So, where would this Iona be?" I asked nonchalantly as I sat down with Umeko after school had finished for the day.

"Well, I don't really know," the shorter girl replied with a shrug. "He's a third year like me, but…"

"You're…a third year?"

"Mhmm!" she nodded. I must have let my bewilderment show on my face, because a pout came to hers. "What's with that look? Is it because I'm hyper? Cause that's just who I am!"

"No, that's not it-"

"What, then, am I too short?"

"No, of course not. It's just-"

"Just what!?"

"You had a Wooper earlier. Why was it not evolved?"

She stared for a few seconds in silence. "Wooper?" She then realized exactly what I was talking about. "Oh, it's-" She stopped, though, shooting a glare over my shoulder that looked unnatural on her normally cheerful face. "There he is, the asshole." She stormed around me as I stared dumbfounded upon hearing the profanity that she had just uttered. I was certainly not a stranger to hearing such language, having used some myself, but I had never expected it from Umeko of all people. "Hey, Iona!" I quickly followed her, seeing her confront a pale blond boy. He stood a few inches taller than me, his hazel eyes looking down at the girl who had the gall to stand against him.

"If it isn't the little _kovarnaya lisa_ ," he replied smugly in a tone as smooth as honey, the words foreign to my ears, although I was sure that the phrase was not a compliment.

"Enough with that stupid degrading nickname," she snapped. "This is the last time I put up with your bullying."

"Bullying? Oh, no, I think you're quite mistaken. Why do you continue to hide from the truth, hmm? Are you not a hyperactive little brat?"

"No, she is not," I interjected, placing a comforting hand on Umeko's shoulder as I stood beside her.

"Hmm? I don't recognize you, devushka." He tilted his head in my direction, though his eyes remained locked on Umeko. "Kak vas zovut?"

"I apologize, but I don't understand whatever your language you're speaking."

"A shame, really. It's Russian and my native language. Oh, how I miss speaking my own language. Fine, I'll repeat myself in something you'll understand. What's your name?"

"Morag Ainsley," I responded while crossing my arms. "And I already know yours, Iona Viktorov."

"I'm honored." He chuckled before continuing. "So, what are you doing with the kovarnaya lisa?"

" _Umeko_ is my friend, and from what I've heard you've caused her a lot of grief. I'm here to rectify that."

"It appears she has found another poor victim to sink her claws into," Iona sighed while slowly shaking his head. "She's nothing but a deceitful, two-faced liar, you know. Have you even known her for long? If I had to make a guess, you've known her for a week, two tops. Trust me, you'll find out her true nature in due time. What you see before you, it is all a charade, nothing more to it."

"I highly doubt that to be true," I snapped, tired of his insistence on verbally attacking my friend. "Even if a small amount of what you're saying has an ounce of this _'truth'_ you speak of, does it matter? Everyone has their own secrets, things that should remain private instead of being exposed."

He released a large sigh, running his hand through his pale blond locks. "Just as I expected. She has you wound perfectly around her pretty little finger. You have yet to see the truth, I suppose. I pity your naivety."

"Naivety? You speak of naivety, yet you refuse to see Umeko for who she is inside? She is a kind and generous person, and she is as true a friend as anyone."

"Oh, really? Can you truly back that up, not with words but with strength?"

I nodded. "If that is what it takes, then-"

"No. _I_ will battle you, Iona," Umeko interrupted, her voice full of determination. The way the light shined on her features made her vivid blue eyes appear like they were on fire from her contained fury, her reddish-brown hair a crimson inferno. I went to interject, to respond that I was willing to fight on her behalf, but she beat me to it. "This is _my_ fight, Mo-chan, and I won't lose to the likes of him."

* * *

 **Well t** **hen. This is a thing. And I'm just gonna say it now...I'm such a horrible human being for having all these freaking cliffhangers. This is the _third_ one in a _row_. I promise the next one won't have a cliffhanger! I swear!**

 **Responses (and if I miss any I'm so sorry! FanFiction's notification system has been wacky for the past several days and I haven't been getting updates all the time):**

 **-Clarified Conundrum: If I'm being honest, I wasn't expecting that ending either. It just kind of happened. As did this entire chapter. And that's what I love about writing battles in this setting. Sure, I like bringing in things like abilities and stuff, as shown with Tyrannitar's Sand Rush, but there's something about the fluidity of not having it exactly the same that I love. And trust me, the Murkrow is _most certainly_ going to be a running gag. This is not the last you'll see of the Murkrow! And I haven't watched either of those, although I have heard of the latter. As for the former, guess there's another anime to add to my "to-watch" list.**

 **-Anonymous 1O1: Yeah, I'd never be able to bring myself to even ship them, because there's a different ship involving Morag that I love too damn much. _*glances at "To the Better You"*_ And I actually found those impressions interesting, because it certainly would have seemed that way.**

 **I'm also glad you guys liked Vachir so much. He was a fun character to write, and even if I hadn't already planned on having him be a recurring character I would have done it just because of how much fun I had with him.**

 **Trivia:**

 **-Okay, funny story, this one was originally slated to be a journal entry. But then I completely forgot about it when I posted the last chapter. Instead of doing the journal entry I just decided "screw it I'll do another chapter."**

 **-With that said, this chapter was just basically spur of the moments with every point that showed up. I didn't expect any of this, though it ended up leading quite nicely into my plan for the next chapter, that of course being the battle.**

 **-Morag mentioned it earlier (or more like I _thought_ she did but I can't find it, so maybe I removed it from that chapter because I _know_ I had it at one point), but when originally making OCs there was a rule of how many fully evolved Pokémon each year of student can have. First years have one, second years have two, and I'm sure you can guess how many third years have, which is why Morag is kind of shocked Umeko is a third year. And it was pointed out while creating OCs that Pokémon incapable of evolution are useful for this reason, since they weren't considered fully evolved for that rule. I just liked the rule enough that I wanted to bring it in to the actual school. And the reason I'm saying this now instead of all the way back in Chapter _Three_ (aka the chapter I thought I mentioned it in)? Simply put, I forgot it in my AN and then never had a chance to say it until now.**

 **-So, how I come up with most of the side character names is through a random name generator, and then the nationality goes from there. With Iona's name, I was specifically doing a Russian name. At first, I thought it was a _girl's_ name due to having seen it as such in Xenoblade 2 (I swear for once this is an extreme coincidence and was in no ways intentional!). But, depending on the culture, it is either a girl's name (English and Scottish) or a boy's name (Biblical Latin, Georgian, and Russian). Since _this_ Iona is Russian, he's a male. It also works that Iona is a girl's name in Scotland, of course that being where Morag is from, so I was able to bring my own confusion in as well.**

 **-Speaking of Iona, there was the Russian of course. Again, used a translator, so any Russian readers that see something wrong with the words, please let me know! I don't want to look too much like a fool! Anyway, "** **kovarnaya lisa" translated as "cunning fox", which I thought was a good description for the type of person Iona keeps implying Umeko is. The word "devushka" is akin to "girl" and Iona already said what "Kak vas zovut?" means. Again, hopefully these aren't wrong, but if there is something wrong with it I have the crappy excuse of "I don't speak Russian".**


	8. Revelations

**Update March 3, 2018: Okay, so having had some time I looked at this chapter again...and I hated it. At first I had been trying to avoid pushing out a chapter, hence why this was as late as it was, but then I went and tried pushing this part out too soon. I had reasons for it, but I never should have. This chapter isn't what it could have been, and I apologize for that. So, what I'm gonna be doing (and sort of what I've been meaning to do before, so it's not like it's not something that I didn't have planned) is do some major proofreading and editing for all of the previous chapters and in the process fix this one up, while possibly adding a part I originally had back into this chapter.**

* * *

"As you wish," Iona said, unconcerned. "It doesn't matter who I face, really."

"Do you really think that you'd beat either one of us so easily, then?" Umeko retorted, pulling out a Poké Ball from her bag.

"Oh, no," he replied, glancing down at his own Poké Ball with a bored gaze. "I'm not so cocky as to believe my victory is ensured. But we will go all out, right, Raichu?" he added, his emotionless tone a sharp contrast to his statement. Upon saying this, he dropped his Poké Ball to the ground. His Raichu wasn't the Raichu I had been expecting. It floated in front of its trainer on its oversized tail, a slight smile on its face as it stared at Umeko with its pristine blue eyes.

"So will we, then. Three on three?" Umeko asked as she backed away to allow room for the upcoming battle.

"Like I said, all out."

"Okay…Nidoqueen, help me out!" Umeko called, tossing her Poké Ball high above her. The Nidoqueen stared down its opponent, a smirk on its face. Even with its ground typing, Nidoqueen would be in trouble if that Raichu of Iona's could get in a psychic type move.

"Elektricheskom Pole," Iona muttered to his Raichu, the Pokémon in question squealing in delight in response to his command. Electricity gathered around its yellow cheeks, and the ground began to spark in response. Its eyes widened, and it looked more alert than before.

 _So, he must be setting up…The increased power of electric type moves is next to useless against Nidoqueen, but Raichu's speed increases because of its ability._

"Poison it!" Umeko commanded before Raichu could finish with the terrain. The Nidoqueen lumbered forward and sprayed a mist of purple coloured gas from its mouth at the exact moment Raichu's move was complete. Unable to avoid the Toxic, it reeled back, wiping at its face.

"Ignore it," Iona said, the Raichu grimacing but nodding anyway. "You know what to use. Do not stop until it is down." With yet another nod, Raichu glared at its opponent. In front of it formed three different orbs, colored light blue, blue, and purple. It used its tail to throw the orbs forward, smiling all the while. Nidoqueen shot off a black sphere of energy in response, the two attacks causing an explosion. Raichu refused to let up, keeping on the offensive with a barrage of these orbs. Nidoqueen held up against the onslaught, but it was clear that its Shadow Balls would soon succumb to the never ending Psyshocks.

"Ace of spades!" Having released yet another Shadow Ball, the poison type deftly leaped into the air. Ignoring the Psyshock that managed to hit against its hide, it divebombed into the Raichu, sending it flying back before unleashing another Shadow Ball on the foe, the attack making a direct hit. Righting itself in midair, Raichu flipped backwards and released at least a dozen Psyshock attacks one after another. Nidoqueen, unable to dodge or deflect the attacks, raised an arm over its face and braced itself. The multitude of orbs smacked into the poison type, sending up a cloud of smoke. When it cleared, I gasped. By some miracle, Nidoqueen was still upright, but even more confounding was that it appeared completely unscathed.

"What? Impossible! How is it still standing?" I asked in surprise. Even Iona frowned at the predicament.

Umeko chuckled. "If this were any normal Nidoqueen, it wouldn't be. It's showtime. Night Daze!" Nidoqueen was surrounded by a crimson aura, which expanded in all directions. The blast was so strong I had to avert my eyes. When I looked back, the Nidoqueen was gone. Standing in its place was a small black Pokémon, its light blue eyes set in a fierce glare at Raichu's trainer.

"A Zorua," I gasped. No wonder the Psyshock didn't do damage; psychic type moves had no effect on a dark type like Zorua. I turned from the little illusion worker to its trainer. "So, wait, you don't train ground types?"

"Nope! Common mistake, but it helps in moments like this."

There was much more that I wanted to ask, but those questions could wait until after the battle was complete. I glanced over at Iona; he shrugged, unconcerned with this latest development. "Interesting. Another secret revealed to the masses. Soon there'll be none left to hide, and what will the world think of you then?"

"I don't care what the world thinks. Maybe I'll just show the world that it's the one that's wrong!" Umeko retorted, my words from earlier echoing through her own. "Now it's our turn! Ace of spades, once more!" The Zorua gave a wide grin as it flipped into the air as agilely as it had as a hulking Nidoqueen. It smacked straight into Raichu and released a Shadow Ball at point blank range.

"Udar molniy." The Raichu gave a devilish smirk in response, its increased speed allowing it to dodge the second move. Sparks coated its small, brown body. The electricity gathered around it before the amassed energy shot forward in a single powerful bolt.

"Pulsing wave! Go!" Zorua shot a Shadow Ball straight into the Thunderbolt. Eyes glowing in the crimson aura surrounding it, it rose its paws before slamming them back into the ground. The aura, intermingled now with pink, lashed forward to collide into both Raichu and its attack. The Thunderbolt, powered as it was by the Electric Terrain, pierced through both of Zorua's attacks. Umeko's Pokémon lurched as the Thunderbolt ran through its small frame.

"Finish it, Raichu," Iona commanded. "Stal'noi khvost." Raichu's large tail became covered in a metallic sheen. It flipped forward and slammed its tail straight down on the prone Zorua. The dark type was smacked further into the ground.

"I'm sorry," Umeko murmured, tears streaking her face as she returned the unconscious Zorua. "Revenge will be ours. Retaliate and hit 'em where it hurts! For Zorua!" she cried out, throwing her second Poké Ball, this time to the ground. I barely had the chance to blink before a large brown and black blur slammed into the poor Raichu. The Krookodile had thrown all its power and rage from its friend's downfall into its blow. Already battered from Zorua's earlier struggles, the Raichu simply couldn't continue fighting. Iona returned his Pokémon before it hit the ground unconscious. Without a word, he dropped his second Poké Ball. The pink and purple floral Pokémon floated quietly, not even seeming to acknowledge Krookodile's existence. The ground type snapped its jaws as it crossed its tiny arms as best it could over its body. Without hesitation, the Musharna erected a glass-like barrier around itself.

"This'll be easy. Crunch over and over! That'll wear it out!" The Krookodile ran towards its target, surprisingly limber for its size. Musharna barely had a chance to move before Krookodile was right on top of it. It bit right into the dream mist Pokémon. The barrier absorbed the brunt of the attack, but the Musharna cried out regardless. Floating back a bit, Musharna surrounded itself in a rainbow sheen. Krookodile screeched in pain as it bit down the second time. The ground type went for another strike, but was thrown back when Musharna protected itself with an impenetrable blue-green sphere. The sphere weakened on the fourth before shattering on the fifth. The glassy barrier fell to the powerful bite as well. With the additional power from Moxie, Musharna was easily defeated.

Iona didn't even seem to care that Musharna had been defeated so easily. "You can handle this one yourself," he remarked as he dropped his final Poké Ball, the first words he had uttered since his Raichu had fainted. The purple Pokémon in front of him shook out its silky fur, its large ears twitching slightly. Espeon let out a yawn as it stretched its legs. Its blank stare locked on Krookodile, the latter of which was once again taking the stance it took upon defeating Raichu.

"Keep at it, Krookodile!" Umeko called. With the widest of grins, it ran towards Espeon. Tail twitching, the psychic type leaped out of the way as its foe bit only on air. Letting out a snort, it bit again, and once again Espeon shied away from the strong jaws. Krookodile couldn't even land a single Crunch.

Closing its eyes, Espeon took in a deep breath as its body was coated in the same colorful sheen Musharna had been earlier. It charged at Krookodile, tail whipping back and forth all the while. Umeko's Pokémon easily moved out of the way, but was startled when Espeon suddenly veered to intercept it. "How…?" I muttered, suddenly remembering rumours of Espeon being able to sense air currents and even predict the future with its fur. "It seems there is some stock in the rumours after all."

"What do you-oh!" Umeko responded, coming to the same realization.

"You catch on quickly," I remarked with a slight smile. I was surprised that she caught on at all.

"Change of plans. Earthquake!" Krookodile shook its head, the very earth around it shaking violently in response. Espeon, however, was already in the air, the gem on its forehead glowing white. Suddenly shooting a glare, a similarly coloured beam of light shot towards Krookodile. An abnormal screech emitted from the ground type as it fell to the ground. A few seconds passed, but it showed no signs of getting back up.

Umeko's mouth was set in a grim line of determination as she returned Krookodile. "Alright, this is it. Eeveelution versus Eeveelution. We'll show you who's on top!" She twirled in a circle before releasing her Poké Ball up into the air. A pure black Pokémon plopped in front of her, the rings on its body dully glowing golden in colour.

Espeon didn't even give Umbreon a chance to attack. Tail going still, it opened its mouth, and I had to cover my ears as a harsh noise emitted from its mouth. It only continued to increase in volume and intensity, and Umbreon was grimacing from the sound.

"Quick, while it's distracted!" Umeko shouted, barely able to be heard over the din of battle. "Throat Chop!" Umbreon closed its eyes in concentration, and it barreled forward. Espeon's tail twitched, and its eyes widened as it tried to skitter away. However, Umbreon was too fast and smashed its paw into the opponent's esophagus. Coughing profusely, Espeon tried to continue its noise, but found itself unable to. Snarling, it released Signal Beams sporadically. Umbreon leaped away, able to keep out of the line of fire.

"Espeon. Enough." The Pokémon in question inhaled sharply before returning back to its emotionless expression. Its tail twitching once again, Espeon charged with a Dazzling Gleam ready. Umbreon, knowing that an attempt to dodge would be futile, retaliated with an Iron Tail. The two Pokémon were thrown back from the force of the two attacks.

"Wish upon the stars, Umbreon!" With a simple nod, Umbreon closed its eyes, a peaceful expression coming to its face. Star shaped projectiles swirled around the dark type in circles. Eyes still closed, the stars shot towards Espeon. It tried to dodge, but found itself incapable of avoiding the attack. Each star aimed true, and if Espeon's throat wasn't already sore, it would have screeched from the pain. Umbreon kept up with this tactic, as it was the only chance it had to land an attack on a foe that could see the future. Espeon's eyes widened as its tail flailed erratically. Frustrated, Espeon once again released random Signal Beams, wanting to take Umbreon down with all of its being. The myriad of attacks created explosions into the air, obscuring the combatants from view. I squinted into the chaos, desperately wanting to see who would emerge victorious.

At long last, the commotion died down, both Espeon and Umbreon covered in dust and scratches. They panted in unison, their legs wobbling. Neither seemed willing to give up. They remained this way for several seconds before Espeon crumpled to the ground.

"Yes! We did it, Umbreon!" Umeko cheered as she ran towards her Pokémon. With a final bout of energy, it leaped into her open arms before closing its eyes.

"I see." Iona, despite having lost the fight, seemed completely content with the outcome. "I suppose this encounter didn't go the way I had hoped, but nothing to it. You'll realize she's no good soon enough." He turned and walked away without another word.

"Well done, Umeko. Has he always been so...condescending?" I asked as I approached my victorious friend.

"Pretty much. His family has never liked mine," she added dismissively. "Anyway, that's that!" She then smirked, and with a laugh grabbed my wrist and dragged me behind her. "Come on, there's still so much we can do! Besides, the day's not done yet!"

"I...I'm not sure I-"

"Shh! Just come! I've got the best view in my room! Please?"

I sighed, knowing that there was no denying Umeko. "Very well," I responded. She squealed as she pulled me along. I mentally resigned myself to whatever fate Umeko had in store for me, hoping she wouldn't start pranking people from the typical dark trainer tendencies. It didn't matter to me that she hadn't told me she actually trained dark types. It was not like I had asked her. I had simply assumed she trained ground types due to her Zorua's illusions. Iona's words struck a nerve in me, but the only reason I could see for Iona's nastiness towards Umeko was this family feud that existed. It was something I could uncover at a later date.

* * *

 **See, I** ** _told_** **you I wouldn't end on a cliffhanger this time (though maybe you consider it one? I don't know. It's not meant to be one is all I can say)! I am sorry this one is a bit late,** **as life was quite hectic over the last couple of weeks. I wasn't about to push myself to get something published on FanFiction if it's still rather shoddy in its quality.** **Also I have _no idea_ how I had been managing to keep up the weekly updates beforehand, but I am ever so grateful that it has managed to work out thus far.**

 **So, with this fight, I ended up bringing in some Espeon/Umbreon action, as suggested by Mega Espeon. I'm not sure how I feel about it, and I may end up adding to it later, but I felt like I couldn't hold a chapter back any longer. So we'll see how it works out.**

 **Responses:**

 **-Clarified Conundrum: I'll be honest, I'll have to look and see if it is indeed similar to Hotaru and Aina, as I'm kind of fuzzy on the details right now. And you weren't thinking too hard into it, as it was a rivalry.**

 **-ChibiMuffehnz27: Thank you for the favorite and the follow!**

 **-Mega Espeon: I wish I knew.**

 **Trivia:**

 **-Edit: Okay, translations that I somehow managed to forget. I have** _ **no clue** _**how it didn't make it in here, but that changes now. All the moves Iona says are their Russian names. "Elektricheskom Pole" is Electric Terrain, "Udar molniy" is Thunderbolt, and "Stal'noi khvost" is Iron Tail.**

 **-I'll be honest, I really did have Umeko as a Ground-type trainer for a while, but as I was writing Chapter Five, I started writing the whole third-year reveal...and then thought "hey, wouldn't it be funny if that Wooper from earlier was actually Zorua?" I actually have hinted at Umeko training Dark-types before. The first instance was in that chapter itself with Mudsdale having blue eyes: normal Mudsdale eyes are actually black in color. It's a really subtle one, one that many people would miss, including myself if I hadn't been writing it myself. And the fact that very few people in the Ground dorm know who Umeko is makes much more sense since she wouldn't** ** _be_** **in that dorm but rather the Dark dorm. One could also argue that her not fitting the "serious and no-nonsense" personality of Ground-type trainers also counts as even earlier foreshadowing too, although to contradict that, at that point in time I was still thinking of Umeko training ground types and one could make the argument that the type trained doesn't always reflect personality.**

 **-This chapter was originally longer. But I'm holding back on the second part for next chapter, as what I had for it I didn't particularly like. But I do look forward to it. I guess that'll be my cliffhanger for the chapter.**


End file.
